Let's talk attenuators

DrNewcenstein

DrNewcenstein

He Did the Monster Mash
Enlighten me on the various makes and models of attenuators (those magical devices that go between your head and cabinet so you get full head-tone but aren't killing the neighbors). I also know cab/speaker response/tone will have an influence on the overall sound - higher levels drive the speakers more, etc, so I do anticipate a measurable tonal difference between driving the speakers and not driving them as hard.

I know a few names (Marshall Powerbrake, Scholz PowerSoak, etc), and a quick Ebay scan has taught me a few more names, and "best" is always subjective, so let's go with the pros and cons of whatever you've got experience with.

If it matters, the head in question is a Marshall JCM800, and the offending cabs are a Carvin VE212 (MTS series with Carvin British 12s), and possibly a 4x12 loaded with Peavey 1290MS speakers. Looking at either 4, 8, or 16 ohm possibilities, dependng on how I shuffle speaker wires around.
 
Re: Let's talk attenuators

The attenuators that I read about that seem to get the most attention are the Rivera Rockcrusher and the Weber Mass units. I haven't personally used one, but am in the market. Though I am looking at the units that direct line outs for silent recording. As far as those units go, I am looking at the Koch Dummybox (which is $179 for the home model) and on the more expensive side of things the Palmer PDI-03 and the Two Notes Torpedo Live.

The thing to remember is to get a higher wattage than what your amps is rated at, in case of spikes. My amp is a 50 watt amp so the Koch Dummybox would work for me; if I had a 100 watt amp I would want something that is around 120+ watts. I know Weber has a 150 watt unit and Koch has a 120 watt model. The cool thing about the Weber Mass units is that some of them have tone pots to help adjust for lost frequencies when attenuating. Also some of the Weber units use a speaker engine instead of resistors to achieve the load, and from what I have read, the response is more in line with what it would sound like without the attenuator in line.

Good luck!

Cole
 
Re: Let's talk attenuators

The main difference are just resistors versus actual speaker coil and whether there is a LPF or other EQ built in (otherwise you can't do line out). The latter is usually called speaker simulator. You can also have an full speaker and have it in a dampening cabinet.
 
Re: Let's talk attenuators

I cannot reccomend tbe Marshall Power Brake. It is an early design and a big tone suck.

If I had the need to purchase one, I would be looking at the Rivera Rock Crusher, assuming price was not a big issue.
 
Re: Let's talk attenuators

Thanks, and yeah, the 800 is LOUD! :lol:

Got it up to 3 and had to patch a hole in the wall :lol:

Not so much concerned with a recording out - it's not a deal breaker - but I do want to get the "real tone" of the head but still be able to get near it :lol:
 
Re: Let's talk attenuators

The few that come to mind for me..... Bad Cat The Leash (recently discontinued but may still be in stock somewhere) and Jet City Jettenuator (not sure it's out yet though). Both have selectable ohms....
 
Re: Let's talk attenuators

JeffB said:
I cannot reccomend tbe Marshall Power Brake. It is an early design and a big tone suck.

If I had the need to purchase one, I would be looking at the Rivera Rock Crusher, assuming price was not a big issue.
Click to expand...

That one seems to be great from what I've gathered, however, it is only a 16/8 ohm unit (no 4 ohm).
 
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Re: Let's talk attenuators

A few years back I bought my first tube amp, a Peavey 6505 212 60W combo. I was reading about how loud this amp was, and that it's not good for home use and so on. So I was researching attenuators. I looked at the Weber Mass and the THD Hot Plate. I decided on the THD Electronics Hot Plate if I was going to get one. They only sell from their website now I think. I don't think they have a model that has selectable ohms. They have 2, 2.7, 4, 6, 8, and 16 ohm models.

It turns out I didn't need the attenuator after all. The Peavey is a Master volume amp, I dial the desired gain in on the pre-amp side and the overall output volume is done on the the post side. The amp sounds good at low volumes and cranked up.

Last year I picked up a Mesa Reborn Dual Rectifier Multi-watt head and paired it with a Mesa 2x12 Rectifier cabinet with vintage 30s and would have gone with the THD Hot Plate if needed. But it's like the Peavey, I dial in the gain in the pre-amp side and the use the master output to control the overall volume. I get great tones out of it. My wife is really cool about it too, so I don't necessarily play at apartment levels, but I'm not peeling the paint of the walls either.

If you go with an attenuator, be sure to have spare tubes on hand. Since you are running your amp harder you will shorten the life on your tubes alot quicker.
 
Re: Let's talk attenuators

I used a THD Hot Plate for a while with a JMP 2204. It was great for being able to crank the master volume knob to the sweet spot but knock the actual volume back to a reasonable small gig / rehearsal level.

I didn't find any benefit in using it to play at bedroom level- a practice amp, a pedal or even just turning the amp down and cranking the pre-amp volume sounded just as good or better.

What I didn't like about the Hot Plate is that the attenuation is in big steps at higher volumes - -4dB, -8db, -12dB. It's only when you get to the -16dB setting that you have fine control over the amount of attenuation. I encountered situations where, for example, -4dB was still a bit too loud but -8dB wasn't loud enough. Also the Hot Plate you buy is limited to a specific cabinet impedance. (There are exceptions to this last point if you discuss it with THD, but even so their literature points out that "to optimize tone and function, the impedance should be the same on your amplifier").

In summary - liked it for reining in the volume for small gigs and rehearsals, didn't bother with it at home. If buying another attenuator I would look for finer tuning of attenuation level at all volumes plus flexible impedance.
 
Re: Let's talk attenuators

LOL!! I have a 50 watt jcm 800 and I was rocking it one day and my kids came home from school and told me they heard me 5 blocks away and that was on about 5 and all the doors and windows closed.. hee hee hee

I bought some inexpensive attenuators that were being sold on ebay that came recommended to me. I bought 2 of them and I actually run them in a chain as they dont have a volume setting like the expensive ones do. They work fine.. ill do a search to see if they are still out there when I get the chance
 
Re: Let's talk attenuators

I have a Weber Mass 100 that I run with my M-1000. They're ALL tone sucks but the Mass has a high end booster to put some of it back. Keep in mind, they're really only good, with something that loud, for bringing the volume down from earth-shattering to merely deafening. Don't think you can crank the amp and keep the volume down to speaking levels. It'll sound like you're playing through a mattress.
 
Re: Let's talk attenuators

I have a THD Hot Plate (8-ohm version). It's a decent unit, well built, and doesn't tone suck too badly. They all suck a little, but (cranked amp - tone suck) > (amp turned down below 2) any day of the week. It has a recording output and a noise reduction feature that is pretty well done, too.

But I basically stopped using it in favor of moving from a 4x12 cab down to a 1x12. You might get funny looks running a JCM800 into a 1x12, though.
 
Re: Let's talk attenuators

Mainly I was thinking of using it in a live situation where a 100w head, even into a 2x12, would be overkill. Motorhead does that just fine :lol:

It does have a Master Volume, and I can run it that way, but would prefer to have the MV cranked up so the power section is pushing.

Then again, in hindsight, it'd be like driving a Ferarri with the parking brake on, wouldn't it? :lol:

Hmmm, looks like my closet will become an isolation booth after all :lol:

Thanks all :friday:
 
Re: Let's talk attenuators

I favor L-Pad kinda attenuators. E.g. Dr. Z. Airbrake, Brake Lite... They don't alter the tone that much up to 4.5dB. But still even at 11dB, they don't sound bad.

B
 
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